String-closure-affixing machine.



H. TRENCHARD, la. STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE. Arrucmu man 11:03u. 191s.

1,258,829. Pnwd Mar. 12, 1918,

5 SHEETS--$HEE 2.

INVEN T01? H. mancano, 1.. -4 STRING CLOSUREAFHXING MACHINE.

` Arnmnwn'nuuman. ms. y'

` Patented Mar. 12.1918.

INYEHTOR n. sfucmmogn. Y STRING CLOSUBE AFFIXHIG IMNINE.

Aruunol' min nenn. ma.

Patented Knr. l2. 1918.

H. IRENCHARD, In. suma closui Arrlxme ucmus.

lals

vUNITED srArEsPA-TENT orrion.

HENRY TRENCHARD, JR., 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

STRING-CLOSUBE-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Application filed December 30, 1915.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY TRENCHARD, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in String Closure Aifixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to paper working machinery and more particularly to a machine for the manufacture ofthe socalled double button and string closure which has its most general application to merchandise envelope and the like, these envelops being commonly tei-med` double button envelops. These envelops are characterized by a button or washer of \relatively unyielding paper stock fastened to the flap of the envelop and a similar button or washer fastened to the body of the envelop and a string which is attached to the flap or body of the l envelop and is adapted to be passed undei` the buttons to effect a closure of the envelop.

The object of the invention is to provide a means in such a machine for automatically accomplishing the several operations inciv dent to the manufacture of this type of fastener.

For convenience in the description of the particular embodiment of this invention, it may be noted that the construction generally adopted for these envelops is to have upon the inside of the envelop body a comparatively light reinforcing washer and a comparatively stiff fastenin washer. or button upon the outside and to ave these wasliers united through a hole in the body of the envelop by means of an eyelet which is upset to engage the two washers and hold them securely in position in relation to the body of the envelop. Upon ,the iiap of the envelop a similar construction is usually employed except that a string, which is used t'o effect the closure of the envelop, has one end fastened underthe eyelet which 'attaches the coperating washers to the flap of the envelop. We

may for the present disregard lthe washers which are affixed to thebody-of the envelop, and confine our attention to the washers and string which are affixed to the flap of the envelop, although it will, of course, be understood that the machine, later'to be described, may be adapted for afiixing the washers and string to the body of the envelop instead of to the flap.

Specification of Letters Patent.

As these envelops have heretofore generally been made by hand with the aid of a pair of coperating dies to upset the eyelet and semi-automatic means to feed the eyelets, it has been customary to place the reinforcing washer upon the male dieand then to insert the end ofthe tying string through a hole which has been'previously made in the flap of the envelop and to place the flap of the envelop with thc string so held over the male die. The string is then given a turn about the male die, the fastening washer is placed thereon and the eyelet feeding and eyelet setting mechanism operated to force an cyelet through the hole in the fastening washer, the envelop flap, and the reinforcing washer, and to upset the eyelet on the inside of the flap and beneath the reinforcing washer.

The present invention provides means to accomplish these operations in a substantially automatic manner.

One embodiment of the invention has been herein selected for purposes of illustration and explanation and is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of a machine showing the mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly diagrammatic end elevation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 4 is 'a longitudinal section on the line 4 4.- of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are details later to be referred to;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation particularly of the string cutting mechanism, showing the same in operative'position; and

Figs. 9 and 10, are detail views later to be referred to.

able mechanical movement to cause them, in

this particular disclosure, to be brought together once for each revolution of the main shaft. Means may also be provided, but

which are not herein shown, to cause the dies as they approach each other to punch Washers from .strips 'of paper and to carry them forward to form the fastening Washer and reinforcing washer respectively for the envelo flap. Further means may be provided for auton'iatically feeding an eyelet to the machine to position it upon a slidable pin 4 which is loosely mounted in a centrally bored hole in the die 2 and is held, when uncontrolled, in the extended position herein shown by a spring 5. For the purposes of this application, the eyelet feeding and washer forming means may be disregarded and our attention confined to the means for adding the string to the completed con1bination of washers, eyelet and envelop flap.

The attachment of the string to the flap of the envelop may be effected by looping the string around the pin 4 before the dies have been brought together to upset the eye let. It will readily be observed how this is effected when the reinforcing washer is placed upon the die 1, as shown in Fig. 4, and the eyelet and fastening washer are placed upon the pin 4 mounted in the die 2 before the dies have been caused to approach each other. If the envelop flap be then inserted between the dies, and lthe dies vbe caused to come together, the string which has been previously Wound u on the pin, is caught between the envelop ap and the reinforcing washer and firmly held there by the flanges of the eyelet.

Means for accomplishing this resultare herein shown as a hollow gear mounted within a suit-able housing and rotating con centrically about the pin 4 and of sufiicient size to permit the die 2 to pass therethrough. This gear is rotated from the mainl shaft 3 by a suitable train of gearing comprisin the gears 7,8 and 9 and is preferably rotate at a reater angular' speed than the main shaft. n this instance the gear 6 which, with its associated parts, will hereinafter be termed the looper makes four revolutions to one revolut ion-of the main shaft. Means are provided on `the gear to grasp the end of a string which is presented to the looper by means hereinafter described., the string grasping means 'being herein shown as a substantially U-shaped member 10 normally spring pressed against the face of the gear. butl .adapted to be extended from the face of the gear at the proper moment in the operation of the machine when it is desired to grasp a piece of string presented thereto. This U- shaped member 10 extends through the gear and is fixed to a ring l11 havin a cam surface 12. The construction of this looper 4will lbe more readily seen from Figs. 5, 6 and 7 which are respectively an end View, front View and cross-section of the looper. The ring 11 is normally held away from the gea-rV by springs 13 and its movement is limited by rim of the gear G, the same being herein the string engaging member 10. Thus, it will be seen that when an end of a string is placed under the n'ieniber 10, it will be firmly grasped between this member 10 and the face of the gear in the absence of anyJ control thereof by the ring 11 With its cam surface l2.

Means may be provided to control the opening and closing of the member 10 for the purpose of threading the string thereunder, the said means being herein shown as a cam 14 mounted upon a lever 15 and controlled by a cam 1G upon the main shaft. As this particular mechanism is designed to operate, it is desirableto have the looper opened for grasping the string once in lts four revolutions, that is at a time when the pin 4 is exs tended and after the Washers, eyelet and envelop flap have been placed in position. It will therefore be seen that when the cam 14 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 4,' the looper, rotating in a counter-clockwise direction will be opened by the cam 14 for threading the string. As the looper continues to rotate the high point of the cam surface 12 is rotated past the cam 14 and the string engaging member 10 will grasp the string end which has been presented to itl and Will Wind ythe string about the pin 4 un-f til the string is released or withdrawn from the looper.

Means may be provided to present thevend of a string to the looper mechanism so' that it may be engaged by themember 10 and the shown as a reciprocating string carrying member 17 and its associated parts. This string carrying member is provided with a finger 18' having a resilient side plate 19 to engage the string when it is threaded therethrough and to tension the string during the `succeedin operations. The string carryin member 1 is mounted in a guideway 20 an is reciprocated by a crank arm 21 and link 22, the 'crank arm being mounted .upon a 110 shaft 23 which in this particular instance, is driven in synchronism with the main shaft 3 .through a vtrain'of gears, 24. 25. 26, 27- and 28. l f

Means may be provided to sever the 115 string, the same being herein shown as shears 29 having a. fixed blade 30 and movable bla de 31 and mounted upon an oscillating member 32 pivoted at 33 upon. the guide Way. The two blades of the shears are piv- '120 oted at 34 and are held in operative relation by any suitable means herein shown as a stud and spring 35. Suit-able means may be providedto bring the shears into position for cutting the string, the same being herein shown as a cam 36 upon the oscillating shears mounting 32 adapted to be engaged by an anti-friction roller 37 upon thestring carrying member 17 to oscillate the shears and bring them into operative position for i vherein disclosed,

cutting the string. The shears mounting is shown in its normal position in Fig. 2 and is yieldingly held in this position by a spring 38 attached to the shears mounting and to an arm 39 which in turn is rigidly attached to the guideway 20.

Means may be provided to operate the shears to cause them to cut the string upon their being brought forward through theaperture 40 in the guideway, such means being herein shown as an anti-friction roller 41 upon the rearwardly extending movable blade 31 of the shears. This roller 41 is adapted to be engaged by a pair of cams 42 and 43 which cause the shears to close and open respectively.4 This particular means for eifectin the closing and opening of the shears will e more clearly understood from Figs. 9 and 10 which are detail plan views of the shears and the shears operating mechanism. It will be observed that when the shears mounting is oscillated upon the pivot 33 the shears will be swung forward until the anti-friction roller 41 contacts with the cam 42. Upon further forward movement of the shears the cam 42 will operate to bring the cutting edges ofthe shears together and thereupon the machine being so organized as to brin the string between these cutting edges, te string will be severed just above the threader. As the string -carrying member is moved upward by the' lcrank and link connection with the shaft 23 l the roller 37 upon the string carrying memberywill be released from engagement with the cam 36 upon the shears mounting and allow the same to resume its normal posil tion under the action offthe spring 38. The

rearward movement of the shears will bring the shears operating roller 41 in contact with the cam 43 which will cause the shears to. be "opened in readiness for the next forvvarl movement preceding the cutting of the tilength of string. n' operating the particular mechanism the light reinforcing I washer may be placed upon the die 1 an the eyelet and fastening washer upon the 'in 4. The. operation of the main shaftl 3 1s controlled by some suitable clutch mechl anism and, upon the insertion of the envelop iiap in its proper Aposition between the dies', the clutch may be released and the shaft '3 rotated to cause the string feeding means to operate and the dies to come together, This operation may take place somewhat as follows, assuming that the parts at the lstart are in the ositi'on shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The string end 44-Will be presented by the string threader 19 to the string engaging means 10 which is held in the position shown-in Fig. 4 by the cam 14 controlled from the cam 16 upon the main shaft. Upon the rotation of the main shaft the looper will be rotated and the high point of the cam surface 12 will pass the cam 14, thus causing the string engaging member 10 tol ress against the side of the looper gear and) grasp the string firmly. The cam 14 will then be Withdrawn from its operative position shown in Fig. 4 by the lever 15 under the Ytension of the spring 45 and will not thereafter affect the operation of the looper until raised by the cam 16 upon the mam shaft at the completion of another revolution of the main shaft. y

The string having been engaged by the looper the parts are so related that the string carrier 17 Will then descend in the guideway 20 and simultaneously the looper, drawing the string through the string threader 18, will. begin to wind the string around the pin 4. As previously noted the looper, in this particular apparatus, is arranged to make four revolutions to each single revolution' of the main shaft 3. When the looper has nearly completed its second revolution and the string carrier 17 is ap preaching the lower end of the guideway, the dies 1 and 2 are brought together by any suitable die operating means which may be operatively connected with the main shaft 3. This will cause the eyelet to be forced through the fastening washer and through the loop of string upon the pin 4. The eyelet will then ass through the envelop fiap and the reinflrcing Washer carried by the die 1 and be upset by the die 1, thus firmly attaching. the strin()r and washer to the flap lof the. envelop. Til-iis upsetting of the eyelet is'arranged to take place approximately when the looper has com leted its' second revolution. lVhen the eye et has thus been upset and the string firmly fastened beneath its flanges the end of the string which was held by the looper will be pulled out of engaffement by the string engaging member 10. pproximately at the time when the String is fastened under the eyelet or shortly thereafter the string carrier 17 will engage the cam 36 upon the shears mounting and the shears will be swung out through the aperture 40 in the-guideway into the path of the string. The string may at this time be held taut between the string threader and the looper, and the shears upon the further descent of the string carrier to its lowermost point will operate to sever the strin just abovethe string threader.

The foregoing is accomplished in approximately one-half a revolution of the main shaft. During the other half of the main shaftv revolution the "looper having completed the performance of its function reis then brought to its highest position and brings the string end in position to be engaged by the looper in the next cycle of operation of the machine. During the fourth revolution of the looper and as the main shaft is completing its single revolution, the' cam 16 engages the lever 15 and causes the cam 14 to assume the position shown 1n Fig.

1. As the looper completes its fourth revolution the cam surface 12 engages the cam 14 and opens the string engaging member 10. Also toward the completion of the single revolution of the main shaft the dies are drawn apart Vand are positioned ready for the next cycle of operation of the machine. An eyelet and the washers may then be put in place and the operation repeated.

, Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show an envelop `provided with a string closure which may be aliixed by the above described apparatus. The envelop body 50 is provided with a flap 51 adapted to be folded down as shown in Fi 12. A fastening washer 52, and a rein orcing Washer 53 are aiixed to the front of the body portion by an eyelet 54. A fastening washer 55 and a reinforcing washer 56 are aixed by an'eyelet 57 to the flap of the envelop and the tying string 58 is held by the upset ange of the eyelet 57 between the flap 51 and washer 55. In Fig. 13 a fastening vWasher 55 is cut away and the eyelet 57 is shown in section transverse of its shank. This figure shows the manner in which the string 58-is wound about the eyelet to secure a very irm and permanent attachment therewith.

It will be seen from the fore oing description of this embodiment of t e invention that the invention provides an efficient automatic means for accomplishing certain of the operations incident to the manufacture of this general type of closure which has been herein described in its most general application as a closure for envelops and the like. It is contemplated that this invention may be modified to effect the manufacture of a similai` closure as applied to other articles than envelops` and that the invention may be variously embodied Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention l; In a machine lof the character described, the combination of eyelet setting meansand automatic means to Vloop a string in position to be fastened between the upset flanges of an eyelet.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means, automatic means to loop a string in position to be fastened between the upset flanges of an eyelet, and means to sever a predetermined length of string.

In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means, means to form a loop of string for engagement by the eyelet, and means to present a free end of string to the said string looping means.

4. In ...a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means, means to form a loop of string for engagement by the eyelet, means to present a ree end of string to the said string looping means and means to sever a predetermined length of string. i

5. In a machine of the character described, the'combination of eyelet setting means and means to` position a string to be fastened. between the upset flanges ,of an eyelet, the saidl'ast named means comprising a rotatable string engaging member adjacent to said eyelet setting means.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means, means to .position a string to be fastened` between the upset"flanges of an eyelet,

the said means comprising a rotatable string engagingmember adjacent to said eyelet setting means, and further means to present a free end of string to said string engaging member.

7. In a machine of the character described, the. combination of eyelet setting means, means to position a string 'to be fastened between the upset flanges of an eyelet comprising a rotatable string engaging member adjacent to said eyelet setting means, means to present a free end of a string to said string engaging member, and

Vmeans to sever a predetermined length of string.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means having a yieldingly mounted pin and automatic string looping means to loop a strin about the pin.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means having a yieldingly'mounted pin and automatic string looping means to loop a string about the pin comprising cam controlled string engaging means.

10. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means having a spring pressed pin and automatie string looping means to loop a string aboutI the pin comprising string engaging in eans operating concentrically about said pm.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of eyelet setting means having a spring preed pin and automatic string looping means to loop a string about the pin comprising cam controlled string engaging means operating concentrcally about said pin. 4

12. In a\V machine of the character described, the com bination of eyelet setting means, automatic means to position a free end of string for fastening'beneath the upse t 180 Hanges of an eyelet to be set by said first named means comprising string looping means, string presenting means, and means to sever a predetermined length of string.

13. In a machine of the character described, a string presenting means including a reciprocatable string presenting member, and a guideway therefor. string cutting means adapted to be interposed in the path of the string and operable. by the reciprocation of the string carrying member.

14. In a machine of the character described, a string presenting means including a reciprocatable string carrying member, and a` guideu-'ay therefor, ,string cutting moans comprising shears mounted to swing into ibe path of the string and a cam upon said shears mounting engage-able by the string carrying member to bring the shears into operative position.

15. In a machine of the character described, a string presenting means including a reciprocatable string carrying member and a, guideway therefor, .string cutting means comprising shears mounted t0 swing into the path of the string, a cam upon said. shears mounting engageable by the string carrying member to bring the shears into operative position and shears operating means.

16. In a machine of the character described, a string presenting means including a reciprocatable string carrying member, and a guidevray therefor, string cutting means comprising shears mounted to swing into the path of the string, a cam upon said shears mounting engageable by the string carrying member to bring the shears into operative position and cams to open and close the shears. y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this twenty-fourth day of December, 1915.

HENRY 'rRENoHARn J. 

